default-template-v2 featuring "How to set up your new site"

About This Project

This is version 2 of the default-template. The basic template is the same as version 1, but it has been enhanced to incorporate a hand-holding style of help instructions for the initial site set-up procedure. This is intended to make it much easier and quicker for completely new users to get started.

Scope

The goals are to:

be simple enough for the complete beginner to succeed

cover the process from cloning, through using the Site Manager, to setting up the About and Home pages, without losing people along the way

have minimal impact on the visual appearance of the template home (start) page

move virtually all instructions away from the home page so they don't have to be deleted later

be available from the admin menu, since they should easily be found but are not relevant to normal site members

be generic - instructions should work on all templates

be able to incorporate template-specific variations easily

provide a model for developing additional help files for template sites

Background

Taking one of the template sites from cloning through to a working site, in the shoes of a new user, highlighted the need for providing more guidance and hand-holding. For instance, it was found that it is quite easy to be tripped up by doing things in the wrong order. While this is fine for most seasoned Wikidotians, it is not desirable for a new user. The aim is to provide a slightly more wizard-like approach to the set-up process.

This is probably not the ultimate solution, as changes to the cloning process may erradicate some of the pain, but hopefully it is a little better than what we have on offer currently.

Suggested Next Steps

If you can help, please sign up!

It would be very much appreciated if someone would take a clone of the site default-template-v2.wikidot.com and work through the setting up instructions - please report any issues

Develop the help:getting-started page to include the basic knowledge required for new end-users eg creating/editing pages

Develop the help:more-help page for more advanced actions including site management issues

Documentation isn't very exciting to create or test, but it is essential to have the right level of it for a successful project!

Comments: 2

I was looking through it and was amazed at what I saw. A few variables here, a few collapsible blocks there, and you've created a full tutorial :)

One suggestion: Change the start page to be help:start, and then make this the starting page in Site Manager.

Then, in your instructions, explain how to change the starting page to something like home, and tell them to then go to that address and to create the front page. If they actually see a 'create this page' link (because it doesn't yet exist), I think that's clearer than trying to edit the start page.